Eileen K. Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN

Eileen K. Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN, is dean of the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions. As dean, Fry-Bowers is committed to collaborating with individuals, families, and community stakeholders to transform health care and eliminate health inequity. She believes we must act intentionally to create a workforce that supports the development, promotion, and maintenance of optimal mental, physical, and spiritual health. Fry-Bowers received her bachelor’s degree from Loma Linda University School of Nursing, her master’s degree from the University of Rochester School of Nursing, and her Juris Doctor from Whittier Law School, where she was awarded the Dean’s Citation Award for service to the law school community and the public. She received her doctorate from UCLA School of Nursing, with an emphasis in health services, where she was awarded a Chancellor’s Fellowship and named a University of California Regents Scholar. Her dissertation research focused on the association of maternal health literacy with structures, processes, and outcomes of care in pediatric populations.

She completed a federally funded postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA in the care of vulnerable populations research with a focus on child health policy. Fry-Bowers’ extensive clinical experience spans multiple health care settings, including acute care facilities, specialty and community-based clinics, and military institutions. She is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner (CPNP), a licensed attorney, and a veteran, having served in the United States Navy Nurse Corps. Fry-Bowers has held faculty and leadership positions in schools of nursing, medicine, and public health, and has experience teaching a variety of courses across all levels of nursing education. She is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and served as chair for the Expert Panel on Child, Adolescent & Family. She holds editorial board positions on the Journal of Pediatric Health Care and Policy, Politics and Nursing Practice. She was selected as a faculty policy fellow for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and served two terms on the Health Policy Advisory Council for AACN. Most recently, she served on the AACN Essentials Task Force, which was charged with re-envisioning the Essentials. She has authored multiple journal articles and book chapters in seminal nursing and health care texts on advocacy, child health, and health policy.